Country Heaven by Ava Miles

A down-on-her luck cook uses food’s magical properties to tame a beastly country singer after he hires her under false pretenses to restore his image.
When famous—and infamous—country singer Rye Crenshaw saunters into the diner where she cooks, Tory Simmons is certain she’s got him pegged. He’s a bad boy who indulges himself in all things, women included. But while she couldn’t care less about country music or arrogant men, Rye makes her an offer she can’t refuse when he asks her to be his private chef on his multi-city concert tour. The job is the answer to all her prayers: it will clear out her debt and finance the fresh start she desperately needs.
Rye is certain his sassy new cook is the last woman who’d ever tempt him, but spending time with the wholesome girl next door will do wonders for his damaged public image, whether she likes being forced into the spotlight or not. Her food also happens to be the best he’s ever eaten, both comforting and seductive. But spending time with Tory on the road shows him a new side to her—one that’s as impossible to resist as her food. And when an emergency in his family whisks him home, he does the one thing he’s never risked: he lets a woman into his heart…
Soon the emotions Rye faked for the tabloids become all too real, but will the country heaven he’s found in Tory’s arms survive in the real world? From Goodreads.

I enjoyed this one and the character Rory had me crying. Rye is a private person and has a lot of problems with missing his family who has disowned him. Tory gets mixed up in it when she has the job to cook for him. There is more to this than just the romance between Rye and Tory, the problems in his family with the slight mention of spousal abuse. I will look into more of Ava Miles' books.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Campfire Cookout
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt 

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library - a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales; seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.
When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime or captured by the thief.
Polly Shulman has created a contemporary fantasy with a fascinating setting and premise, starring an ordinary girl whose after-school job is far from ordinary and leads to a world of excitement, romance and magical intrigue. From Goodreads.





This was a fun read, for a younger audience but still good. There is a lot of interesting stuff that can be borrowed from the library but some of the more special ones are the stuff from the Grimm collection. It is full of magic and yes the princess can only be "woken up" by her true love. 

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Summer At The Beach
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb returns to the sea with Mad Ship, the second book in a projected trilogy set in the same world as her famed Farseer series. Many unresolved questions from Ship of Magic are answered in this tale of sea serpents and dragons; living ships made of wizardwood; the Bingtown Trader families who sail the ships; and their disfigured cousins, the Rain Wild Traders, who build them.
The Vestritt family's liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by Kennit, an ambitious pirate. Captain Haven is a prisoner; his son Wintrow, who bears the Vestritt blood, finds himself competing with Kennit for Vivacia's love as she becomes a pirate ship. Althea Vestritt, in training to become Vivacia's captain, arrives home to discover her beloved ship lost. Brashen Trell, her old friend and shipmate, proposes that they sail to Vivacia's rescue in the liveship Paragon, who has lost two previous crews and is believed mad. Malta, Althea's niece, seeks help from her suitor, the Rain Wild Trader Reyn, whose family is the Vestritt's major creditor. Meanwhile, the sea serpents who follow sailing ships struggle to remember their history and return to their place of transformation. From Goodreads.

I read the first book in this series over 2 years ago but it was fairly easy to get back into and I remembered most of the characters without a problem even though there are quite a few. The book being called the Mad Ship I would maybe have liked there to be a bit more about it but there was a lot of different story lines we had to follow so I guess there was no room for more.
One of the things I really like is the change in Malta in the end of this book, I am looking forward to see what that leads to in the next one.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Summer At The Beach
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Big Books Bonus Club
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Campfire Cookout
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

The Mistborn trilogy has become a firm favourite with fantasy fans the world over. The imagination that Sanderson brought to the series and his skill at marshalling epic storylines and dramatic action, his ability to create vivid characters made him a natural choice to complete Robert Jordan's epic wheel of time sequence. But with Mistborn, his standalone fantasies and his new series, The Stormlight Archive, Sanderson has shown his bountiful talents in his own fiction. Now he returns to the series that made his name with a new story set years after the events of Hero of Ages.
In a world recovering only slowly from evil, a world where allomancers wield immense power through their ability to unleash the magic bound up in common metals someone who can burn metals that no-one has burned before can tip the balance...
Sanderson has the knack of giving the epic fantasy reader exactly what they want. This ability has thrown him to the forefront of the genre and the dramatic story within The Alloy of Law shows off this skill to its very best. From Goodreads.

As I have only just finished the Mistborn trilogy, it was a bit weird to be back with new characters. It took me a bit to get used to Wax who is the main allomancer of the story. He left his noble background in the city to go and work as a mistborn lawkeeper in the wasteland. He now has to return to the city to be head of house after his uncle's death.
I liked his friend Wayne that turned up better than Wax but I am looking forward to see how they will develop in the next book. One part of the story does end with this book but at the same time the whole mystery of what has happened opens up and promises an interesting continuation of the story.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Witches & Witchcraft Challenge
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Summer At The Beach
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Campfire Cookout
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

Khronos by Chris Paton

Under the shadow of war in the besieged city of Arkhangelsk in the Russian north, Hanover and Singh stow away onboard The Flying Scotsman airship, uncovering the secrets of the khronoglyphs with help from a mysterious and powerful demon.
Khronos is a Steampunk Adventure set in Europe in the 1850s, full of airships, steam-powered fighting machines, chaos, rubble and dust.
Khronos continues the adventures of Hanover and Singh, linking each of the previous books: Metal Emissary (book 1) and Slow Demons (book 2), while setting the scene for the closing adventure in book 4 (available 2016). From Goodreads.







This is an exciting continuation of the first two books in the series. We are seeing a character from the first book but we also meet some new Russian characters and especially Lena, the Cossack, is an interesting character. A lot of things are happening and I am looking forward to see how it all ends in the last book.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Don't look at Them
Don't speak of Them
Never enter Their world
Those are the rules that Ethan Chase lives by when it comes to the dark fairies that robbed him of his sister.
But they are still on his trail and Ethan can't fight fate forever.
Now the deadly fey are at his school, colliding with his real life, Ethan will sacrifice everything to keep his mortal friends safe, even if it means becoming entangled in the world he's spent his whole life trying to deny.
His destiny and birthright are calling.
And now there's no escape. From Goodreads.






This is the first book in the The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series but I would recommend that you read The Iron Fey series first as there is a lot of background story there. Ethan brings Kenzie with him to Fairy after they are threatened but it is not a place for humans. Kenzie is an interesting character and has a lot of guts, but she has her reasons which are revealed at the end of the book.  I liked this and already have the next book sitting on my shelf ready to read.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Rhyme Time
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Pick Your Fate Adventure Challenge
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars 

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. He roams the country seeking assignments, but gradually comes to realise that while some of his quarry are unremittingly vile, vicious grotesques, others are the victims of sin, evil or simple naivety. From Goodreads.

The reason I decided to read this book now is that I am just starting to play the game The Witcher which is based on this book. It is short stories loosely put together where Geralt is looking for work. Witcher work is slaying monsters, of which there are many but evil and not so evil. This is fantasy based on fairy tales and it is very good.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Witches & Witchcraft Challenge
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?

A Million More Pages - Summer cAMMP BINGO

Summer cAMMP BINGO hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

I was on holiday when this challenge started but a team with members from my Rawk group lost a member so I decided to take her place. I then need to catch up with all the categories already called.

Basic Rules

Rounds
There will be two rounds of Bingo playing simultaneously.

Regular - Requiring 1 book read per week

and

Speedy - Requiring 2 books read per week

***Note if you sign up for both you are committing to 3 books a week. Books can not be duplicated between Regular and Speedy. If I do not have enough people wanting to play Speedy I will consider making this an individual challenge or make smaller teams.

Teams
Teams will consist of 4 people. You will be allowed to sign up in pre-arranged teams (play with members of your new Cabin or gather a group from some fun cross-cabin bonding) or individually and those individuals will be placed together to make up teams.

If you are signing up as a team please list everyone on the team together in one post rather than signing up separately.

Duration
This challenge will run until Bingo is called in both rounds. This usually takes around 3 months, generally a little longer for Regular than Speedy.

Sign-ups
Sign ups will open on June 26th and run through July 3rd. I will endeavor to get team threads set up as full teams come in. Teams will have until July 9th to get organized and decide on a team name and a captain. The first categories will be called on July 10th.

What's going to count as a BINGO?
Any two lines of 5 made horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Each team's bingo board will be posted in their individual threads. Each board will be a different layout of the same categories.

When will categories be called?
Friday's at around 1 PM PST
Addition Speedy Category Monday's at around 10 AM PST (This is a change from last round. My schedule has changed and I want to make sure I can get the posting out.)

I'm staggering the announcements to help benefit our players around the world without killing me and my time zones here PST.

You Must Check In
In order to prevent confusion everyone must check in with their teams after each called category. So, for SS players, you must check-in twice a week and R once a week. If you fail to do so you will be removed from your team.

If you know in advance you are going to be away for a period of time that would require you to miss a check in you must post a statement in your teams thread letting them know you will be gone and for how long. It will then be your responsibility to play catch up once you're back.

A failure to check in for two weeks in a row will constitute removal from the challenge. If you have a good reason for missing and want to continue participating in the challenge, you may feel free to send me a PM so we can discuss your further participation. As we are no longer playing this challenge for points, this rule will now be strictly enforced. Two weeks without checking in will result in your immediate removal from the challenge and your teammates will have the option to play without you or to bring in a new player.

How does the Free Space work?
You can read any book for this space once the challenge has started and report it to your team as your free space book. This book is IN ADDITION to the regularly called categories.

Do I have to read a book for every category?
Yes. A team can not be given their bingo chip for a called category until every teammate has read a book for that allotted category. This does not mean you have to have your book read before the next category is called. The game will continue, with new categories called each week, whether every team is caught up or not. There are no penalties for not finishing in a given week, but only complete categories will count towards possible bingos.

Re-reads and the like
Re-reads will be allowed, but not within the challenge. All books read by a single person must be different.

Teammates may read the same book if they choose.

Note Rule Change: A book may not be started before a category is called.

Choosing and Posting
Once a category is posted, choose your book, you may use any shelf/description/Listopia List to justify how a book fits (Unless otherwise stated in the category description.). Post your choice here along with which category it’s fulfilling and an explanation of how it fits.

EX:
Week 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - 310pgs/GR
How Fits: Cover - Flying or List: Magic (whatever it is that ties it to the category called) 

Categories called:
Free Space
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
Week 1 - S'mores: Cover: Brown or White (Must be at least 50%)
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (white cover)
Week 2 - Skits: MC: Hidden/Secret Identity/Pretending to be someone you're not
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (on page 8 of Popular Hidden Identity Books )
Week 3 - Nature: Cover: Plants/Flowers/Trees
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (He is hiding behind a tree on cover)
Week 4 - Camp Rivalry: List: Book off of any Best of 2014 or 2013 list
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder (on Best Fantasy of 2013)
Week 5 - Ropes Course: Trust - I will accept BDSM novels for this category.
Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel (Blurb: As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.)
Week 6 - Summer Fling: Genre: Romance
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
Week 7 - Ice Cream Party : Cover: Snow/Ice or List:Cold Colored Covers  
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Week 8 - Homesick: Family
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Week 9 - Bunk Beds: Find your Bunk Mate (One teammate from your Bingo team and pick a book off their shelves. Every player must be used, no doubling up.)
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Week 10 - Finger Paints: Cover: Tattoos
Week 11 - Archery: Genre: Historical Fiction
The Wild by Christopher Golden
Week 12 - KP Duty: MC: Chef/Bartender/Cook
Week 13 - Ghost Stories: Genre: Paranormal
Week 13.1 -  Sing-a-longs: Music/Bands
Week 13.2 - Counselors: Author: C

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end. From Goodreads.

This was okay but no more than that. There is both a bit of Harry Potter and Star Wars in it. None of the characters are really strong but they are okay. As I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited and the books are available there I will probably continue the series.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Witches & Witchcraft Challenge
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Summer At The Beach
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Pick Your Fate Adventure Challenge
A Million More Pages: Campfire Cookout
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Pick One For Me
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill

Veterinarian Tessa Callaghan is on a mission to save her home town. The bay has just been voted one of the dullest small towns in the country and she’s determined to do her bit to make it great again. She just hasn’t counted on brother-in-law Gabe McLeod coming back on to the scene – nor her growing feelings for the man who abandoned her when she needed him most.
An SOS call from the small town's mayor has brought Gabe back home for the shortest time possible but it also brings him face-to-face with the secret he’s kept all these years. That he is in love with Tessa - and that she is the one woman he can never have. But when life in the Bay takes some unexpected turns, it becomes clear that he’s not going anywhere… and neither are his feelings for Tessa.
Set in a small New Zealand town, The Return of Gabe McLeod is a cosy romance that will make you laugh - and warm your heart. From Goodreads.



I enjoyed this one. A nice romance of second chances. I also liked the serious story about Gabe's father and (step)mother and what sorrow can do to a person. It is of course all settled in the end.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Yahtzee Challenge
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Rawk-A-Tiers: Summer At The Beach
Rawk-A-Tiers: Pack Your Picnic Basket
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?

Rawk: Troupe Theme Challenges

Troupe Theme Challenges hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.

This is 4 challenges, one from each troupe in Rawk-A-Tiers, lasting through August and September. I need to read 10 books for each challenge.

FIRE Troupe Challenge
EARTH Troupe Challenge
WATER Troupe Challenge
AIR Troupe Challenge


FIRE Troupe Challenge:

A Fire's Life Cycle
DATES OF CHALLENGE
August 1 - September 30

The Elements:
1. Fire is a chemical reaction: Read a book where the MCs have explosive chemistry
2. Fire materials: Read a book with wood, straw, or any other item that could be used to make a fire on its cover
3. Kindling gets fire going: Read a book about a rekindled or second chance romance
4. Fire is fueled by oxygen: Read a book about survival or or where the plot/character/s was a breath of fresh air.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (about the survival of Elantris)
5. Fire burns brightly: Read a book with the word Fire in the title or a bright light source on the cover.
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
6. Fire can be beautiful colors: Read a book with a Red, Orange or Yellow cover (must be 75% individually or combination of 3)

Flame Throwers get things started:
1. Arsonists love fire: Read a book with a main page genre of Mystery or Crime
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (main page mystery)
2. Chefs tend to like lots of flame: Read a book with a MC in culinary industry/profession
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
3. Pyrotechnics can enhance a performance: Read a book with a Musician MC or fire/fireworks on the cover
4. Cavemen were the original Flame Throwers: Read a book shelved as historical
5. Mother Nature throwing a flame: Read a book with lightning or a storm on the cover
6. Flame Throwers are very emotional: Read a book where a character expresses rage
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

Fire Fighters put a lid on it:
1. Are heros: Read a book with a firefighter MC or an MC who is rescued
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
2. Usually get very close to the heat: Read a book that is a hot read--Must be rated over 2,000 times on GR
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (rated 899,309 times)
3. Can sometimes get burned: Read a book that is considered hot, shelved as Erotic on main page
4. Are pretty to look at and strong: Read a book that features a firefighter on the cover or has a cover model displaying muscles
5. Water usually puts out a fire: Read a book with water on the cover or is set near a body of water
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill
6. Campers should always observe fire safety: Read a book where someone goes camping, hiking or enjoys the great outdoors
Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson

The Aftermath:
1. Ash/Charcoal is left behind: Read a book with a cover that is at least 75% grey, black or silver
2. Fire often scars or scorches: Read a book with an MC that has scars or has a cover with a scorched object
3. Food is cooked: Read a book in which the characters celebrates a holiday together.
4. Rebirth usually occurs after a long period: Read a book that spans at least a decade
5. Renewal can occur: Read a redemption story
6. Not everything survives: Read a book in which a character dies in the story
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson


Earn 20 points for completing the following
CR -- Choose 5 tasks--1 should be from each section
RR -- Choose 10 tasks--1 must be from each section
PR -- Choose any 15 tasks-- 2 must be from each section

or Participation Only:
CR -- # of tasks completed x 3
RR -- # of tasks completed x 1.5
PR -- # of tasks completed x 1 

★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩

EARTH Troupe Challenge

For many of us, Kool-Aid was a child-hood favorite drink in the summer time, mixing the packet of powdery-goodness into a pitcher of water (sometimes adding less water than called for just to make it stronger!). The Earth Troupe brings you a fun summer-time challenge centered around the goodness that is Kool-Aid!

DATES OF CHALLENGE
August 1 - September 30

THE CHALLENGE
CRs - Choose 5 tasks
RRs - Choose 10 tasks
PRs - Choose 15 tasks

POINTS
Challenge Completion Points = 20
Participation Points - if not completed
CR = tasks x 3
RR = tasks x 1.5
PR = tasks x 1

TASKS
1) Cherry (one of original 6 flavors)- Read a book with a summer fruit on the cover or in the text (cherries, strawberries, watermelon, etc.) or that has a predominately red cover (at least 50%)

2) Grape (one of original 6 flavors)- Read a book that involves wine or some sort of alcoholic beverage anywhere in the text (can be a minor instance) or that is set in Italy or that has a predominately purple cover (at least 50%)
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (purple cover)

3) Lemon (one of original 6 flavors)– read a book where the average rating is 3.5 or lower or that has a predominately green cover (at least 50%)

4) Orange (one of original 6 flavors)– read a book set in a Tropical location or that has a predominately orange cover (at least 50%)
Fire Country by David Estes 


5) Watermelon – read a book that has a body of water on the cover, or that is predominately blue (at least 50%) 
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe

6) “Drink the Kool-Aid” – read a book with a serial killer or that has an actual/ ‘traditional’ weapon on the cover (knife, sword, gun, etc)

7) Kool-Aid Man’s phrase is “Oh Yeah!” – read a book with a Main Page Genre of Romance
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill

8) Deep Fried Kool-Aid Balls – in 2011 at the San Diego County fair, Deep Fried Kool-Aid balls were introduced. Read a book where the MC has some kind of medical issue (health/illness/etc) or works in the medical field (doctor/nurse/paramedic/etc) OR that has a Carnival/Fair indicated on the cover or referenced in the description (carnival ride/pie eating contest/etc)

9) Glass Pitcher - cover has a glass item on it

10) Add Ice Cubes - cover has snow/winter scene or is predominately white (at least 50%)
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (white cover)

11) The commercial shows the Kool-Aid Man jumps through a wall into a house - Read a book that involves construction or destruction of some sort (can be anything, be creative!) either on the cover or in the text.

12) Kool-Aid Jello - Read a book that involves a summer snack or drink on the cover or in the text or that has a dessert on the cover (cake/pie/cookie/etc).

13) Sugar-free Kool-Aid - Read a book with a character on a diet or trying to get in shape, or where someone is “carrying a heavy load” (literally of figuratively…be creative!)

14) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (A book about LSD spiked Kool-Aid) - Read a book involving some type of drug abuse or medication.

15) Kool-Aid Magic Twists drink mixes - Read a book from the fantasy genre. 
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

16) Kool-Aid Singles - Read a book with a single person on the cover or a person not involved in a relationship or that has a single word title.
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

17) Kool-Aid for SodaStream - Read a book with something homemade in the plot.

18) Kool-Aid can be used as a dye - Read a book with a bright or colorful cover (more than three colors)

19) Kool-Aid playdough - Read a book with a crafty or artistic character (writer/artist/musician/etc…be creative)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Clary is very good at drawing)

20) Kool-Aid was invented by a chemist - Read a book involving a new invention or some kind of science, or with a Main Page Genre of Science Fiction
Touch of Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

21) Kool-Aid was first introduced in 1927 – read a book that was written prior to 1940, or has a setting before 1940, or that has Historical Fiction as a Main Page Genre, or that has at least one of the numbers 1,9,2,or 7 in the Year of Publication
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (published 2012)

22) The inventor of Kool-Aid was Edwin Perkins, and his Kathryn (Kitty)- Read a book with the book title starting with or author’s initials if E,P,or K (just one is fine, not all needed) or that has a ‘kitty’ on the cover (cat/lion/cougar/etc)
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

23) The Kool-Aid creation/production/development has been done in several locations, moving as the product grew - Read a book set in Iowa, Nebraska, or Illinois.

24) Kool-Aid can be used to make lipstick or non-toxic hair dye – read a book with an MC that is in fashion or is a hairdresser, or where the cover shows the character obviously wearing makeup, or whose hair is a bright/non-natural color.

25) Based on research from one sales report, the highest sales of Kool-Aid were in Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; St.Louis, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Jacksonville, Florida. - Read a book set in any of these states.

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WATER Troupe Challenge 

Duration: August 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015

★ Welcome aboard, Rawk-a-Tier Passengers❣ ★ The Water Troupe Cruise Ship is ready for all passengers to board. This summer our destinations will be the seven seas of the world. Pack your bags (do not forget your books) and enjoy a world-wide cruise. Make sure you grab the free ticket below. Peek at the terms & conditions.

❃ Terms and Conditions ❃

Below is a list of the seven seas. Each ocean destination has four options: three port activities and one on boat activity. To visit a port or take part part in a boat activity, you must pick the port or activity, read the information about the port or activity and then find a book relating to the information listed about the port or activity. Finishing a book is visiting the port or participating in a ship activity.

The Seven Seas Cruise Around the World Destinations

✿ The Arctic Ocean
✿ The North Atlantic Ocean
✿ The South Atlantic Ocean
✿ The Indian Ocean
✿ The North Pacific Ocean
✿ The South Pacific Ocean
✿ The Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean

As in any travels, keeping a written log of your trip is a must for looking back on your adventures! Please keep a post that you update with the ocean you are visiting, the port or activity you are completing, the book you chose, the justification for how the book connects to the port or on boat activity you are completing and the date you finished the book.

We have three different types of passengers joining us on our voyage:

✤ For our CR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 5 port and/or boat activity options. Each option you chose needs to be from a different ocean destination

✤ For our RR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 10 port and/or boat activity options. By the end of the trip, you will need to have visited each ocean destination at least once.

✤ For our PR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 15 port and/or boat activity options. By the end of the trip, you will need to have visited each ocean destination at least once.

As with any good trip, postcards are a great way to capture your experiences. Every port or boat activity will have a postcard you can collect, mail home or show off to your friends at the end of your trip!

► Rawk-A-Tier Frequent Boating Reward Points ◄

At the end, of your trip please be sure to redeem your reward points for traveling with Water Troupe Cruise Line:

For Completion (Please see our "terms & conditions" and refer to your passenger class to determine how to complete challenge): All passengers are awarded 20 points for completing the challenge

For Participation (Completing some ports and activities but not in such a way as to complete the challenge):
✤ CR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 3
✤ RR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 1.5
✤ PR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 1

Posting Task Completion Guidelines

Please make sure you list the following items in your posts below tracking your tasks completions:
1) Ocean Name
2) Port or On Boat Activity Name
3) Title of Book
4) Small justification for how book fits port or on boat activity
5) Date Book was Completed

★Bon voyage, Rawk-a-Tiers❣★

Ports and Boat Activities for Each Ocean of the World Listed in the Posts Below:  

1.The Arctic Ocean

Port 1: Greenland ~ Explore the Hot Springs of Uunartoq
Information: Hot springs are found throughout Greenland, but on the uninhabited island of Uunartoq, the springs are the perfect temperature for bathing. Here, three naturally heated springs merge into a small pool where you can immerse yourself surrounded by icebergs and stunning mountain peaks
The Wild by Christopher Golden   (set in the Arctic)

Port 2: Norway: Explore fjords and amazing scenery at Geirangerfjord
Information: The most famous tourist attractions in Norway are probably it fjords. Among the most beautiful of these fjords is Geirangerfjord, located in southwestern Norway near the coastal town of Ålesund. Stretching for more than 9 miles long, Geirangerfjord is a natural wonder of deep blue water surrounded by majestic cliffs and lush green mountains towering more than 3,500 feet high. Adding to the scenery are several stunning waterfalls and lush countryside dotted with picturesque farms.

Port 3: Russia: Visit Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow
Information: St. Basil’s Cathedral has some distinctive architecture. Designed to resemble the shape of a bonfire in full flame, the architecture is not only unique to the period in which it was built but to any subsequent period.
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (male MC is an architect)

On boat activity: The Northern Light Festival
Information: In celebration of the The Northern Lights Festival which is held in Tromso, Norway, from January 26 - February 2. The festival features everything from opera, jazz, chamber music, audiovisual art. All while dancing the night away while watching the sky light up with different colours.

2. The North Atlantic Ocean

Port 1: Venezuela: Explore the cannons and the amazing view at Fortin de la Galera
Information: Crowning the hill just north of town is the Fortín de la Galera. These days little remains of the colonial fort (destroyed by the Spanish royalist army in 1817) other than some stone walls with a terrace and a refreshment stand, but it sees a steady trail of couples arriving in the late afternoon for a sweeping view of the sunset.

Port 2: Portugal - Wine Tasting in Douro Valley
Information: Scattered with terraced vineyards and hacienda-style wineries, the Douro Valley is punctuated by the Douro River that winds through the land. According to Cellar Tours (cellartours.com), Portugal’s finest wines come from Douro Valley. Depending on your personal preferences, you can choose casual wine tastings or guided walking tours of the area's vineyards.

Port 3: Nova Scotia -Peggy's Cove Lighthouse for Dolphin/Whale Watching or for those active folks take a hike on the Lighthouse Trial.
Information: Peggys Point Lighthouse (also known as Peggy's Cove Lighthouse) is in Peggys Cove and is an iconic Canadian image. It is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse. Peggys Cove is a classic red-and-white lighthouse still operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The light station is situated on an extensive granite outcrop at Peggys Point, immediately south of the village and its cove. This lighthouse is one of the most-photographed structures in Atlantic Canada and one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle (set in Canada)

On Boat Activity: El Hatillo Music Festival
Information: An on-board "El Hatillo Music Festival" in honor of a music festival that takes place the last two weeks of October in Venezuela and celebrates a Venezuelan music mix of jazz, folk and rock. El Hatillo is a town ten miles south of Caracas. Venezuelan music and native food for all!

3. The South Atlantic Ocean

Port 1:Casablanca, Morocco
Information: Casablanca is the setting of the 1942 film of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The film has achieved worldwide popularity since then. Nominated in eight categories, it won three Oscars.

Port 2:Gothenburg, Sweden
Information: The city has a number of star chefs – over the past decade, seven of the Swedish Chef of the Year awards have been won by Gothenburgers.
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad (Author is Swedish)

Port 3:Rio de Janeiro (or Rio), Brazil
Information: Explore the second-largest city in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics—the first time a South American and Portuguese-speaking nation will host these events, and the third time the Olympics will be held in a Southern Hemisphere city.

On Boat Activity: Celebrate Copenhagen Cooking
Information: Copenhagen Cooking is one of the biggest food festivals in Northern Europe and is an open-source festival that profiles Danish gastronomy by paying homage to the food culture, Nordic cuisine and the players on the gastronomic stage. For ten days in August, you can take a bite of the New Nordic Cuisine and the Copenhagen restaurant scene. Naturally, the festival offers plenty of events held in English or with no language requirements, targeting international visitors.
Country Heaven by Ava Miles (female MC cooks for a living)

4. The Indian Ocean

Port 1: Madagascar ~ Ranomafana National Park
Information: The park is home to the endangered golden bamboo lemur, an animal whose diet includes bamboo shoots that contain doses of cyanide that would be lethal to other animals, yet the charming golden lemur feeds on the bamboo with no ill effects.

Port 2: Bali ~ Coast of Lovina
Information: Lovina is best known for the black volcanic sand of its 5-mile beach. The area is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving adventures as the northern waters are calmer than those to the south. The calm sea is perfect for swimming and dolphin watching too, making the area an ideal vacation destination for families.
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews  (set on the coast of Wales)

Port 3: Kangaroo Island ~ Flinders Chase National Park
Information: Situated off the mainland of South Australia. Kangaroo Island is known for its diverse wildlife and nature reserves, visit Flinders Chase National Park and see kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and many bird species.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (raven on cover)

On boat activity: Feria Oramena Carnival
Information: In celebration of the Feria Oramena held in Madagascar in June. The focus of this carnival is Madagascar favorite seafood, lobsters. Have fun trying a variety of fish dishes.

5. The North Pacific Ocean

Port 1: Sendai, Japan - Tanabata Festival
Information: The world’s most elegant festival of paper and bamboo in Sendai Tanabata Festival has been passed down through the generations as a traditional event that dates back to the era of Date Masamune, the first lord of Sendai Domain. Today, the festival is known nationwide for its elegance—derived from an ancient Japanese star festival—as well as its gorgeous decorations.
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (set in Japan)

Port 2: Aleutian Islands, AK - Fort Schwatka Tour
Information: During World War II the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangan (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested battleground in the Pacific. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw invasion by Japanese forces, the only American soil occupied in the war; a mass internment of American civilians; a 15-month air war; and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater.

Port 3: San Diego, CA - Gaslamp Segway Tour
Information: This is the very best way to explore San Diego's soaring views, exhilarating paths, and famous sights—What more could anyone ask for? On this Segway Tour you will glide through the Historic Gaslamp Quarter, the beautiful Embarcadero waterfront, and the famed Balboa Park, our 1,200-acre urban cultural park.

On Boat Activity: Crossing the International Date Line Ceremony
Information: The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth that runs from the north to the south pole and demarcates the change of one calendar day to the next. It passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° longitude but deviating to pass around some territories and island groups. More information at Crossing the Line Ceremony.

6. The South Pacific Ocean

Port 1: Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Information: Fiji is known for it's amazing topography. A perfect example of this is located in the Mamanuca Islands, a string of islets that stretch for miles northwest of Vitu Levu, the largest Island of Fiji. One of the highlights: Monuriki, the island Tom Hanks made famous in Castaway.

Port 2: Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Information: Majestic mountains sculpted by ancient volcanoes, a shimmering lagoon and a barrier reef dotted with tiny motu, or islets Bora Bora is perhaps the most stunning island in the South Pacific. Only 4,600 people live a seemingly idyllic lifestyle in the main villages of Vaitape, Anau and Faanui. No wonder those generations of travelers - including novelist James Michener - regarded Bora Bora as an earthly paradise.

Port 3: The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia
Information: The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest and healthiest coral reef system, longer than the Great Wall of China. The Great Barrier Reef is the only living structure on earth that can be seen from outer space. Made up of nearly 2900 individual reefs, 600 continental islands and 300 coral cays, it’s the world’s largest single structure comprised of living organisms. Diving around the 350,000 kilometre square reef is simply incredible. You’ll spot dugongs, green turtles, dolphins, reef sharks, more than 1500 species of fish and 4000 types of mollusks, including giant clams.
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (most of the book takes place on water + seaserpent  on cover)

On Boat Activity: Heiva I Tahiti
Information: The Heiva I Tahiti is a spectacular month-long celebration of Polynesian culture. It’s the largest and most popular festival of its kind in French Polynesia, showcasing the very best in traditional dancing, artistry and athleticism.

7. The Southern or Antarctica Ocean

Port 1: Antarctica: get up close to some penguins on Paradise Bay
Information: The most popular tourist attraction in Antarctica, hands down. There aren’t too many places in the world where you can be at arm’s length from thousands of penguins. You can walk among the massive colonies and even see penguin chicks during the right time of year!

Port 2: Antarctica: Port Lockroy Museum
Information: If you stop by make sure to send yourself a cool postcard stamped from Antarctica. The Port Lockery museum used to be the British Base but is now a full time post office. It is a cute little structure from which you can send yourself mail stamped with Antarctica’s stamp!
Lady Falls by Renee Bernard  (set in Britain) 

Port 3: Antarctica: Iceberg Calving
Information: These ice breakers are mid-sized ships that help break ice formations that have grown quite large in the Antarctica. Witness this fascinating phenomenon of the moment an iceberg breaks off the main chunk of ice.

On Boat Activity: Get Your Icestock On
Information: Every year a stage is set up for around 6 hours for everyone who wants to sing or perform music or even do stand-up comedy. Enjoy a night between passengers who want to have a fun fill night showing off their hidden talents. Or settle in to enjoy watching with drinks and snacks.

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AIR Troupe Challenge  

SCATTERED TO THE FOUR WINDS
Air Troupe Theme Challenge
August 1 - September 30 

In ancient Greek religion and myth, the Anemoi (Greek: Ἄνεμοι, "Winds") were wind gods who were each ascribed a cardinal direction from which their respective winds came, and were each associated with various seasons and weather conditions. They were sometimes represented as mere gusts of wind, at other times were personified as winged men, and at still other times were depicted as horses kept in the stables of the storm god Aeolus, who provided Odysseus with the Anemoi in the Odyssey. The Spartans were reported to sacrifice a horse to the winds on Mount Taygetus. Astraeus, the astrological deity sometimes associated with Aeolus, and Eos, the goddess of the dawn, were the parents of the Anemoi, according to the Greek poet Hesiod.

Of the four chief Anemoi, BOREAS was the purple-winged god of the North Wind and bringer of cold winter air. He often appears on old maps as a gust blowing head with bloated cheeks up among the clouds. The Aurora Borealis are named after him. ZEPHYRUS was the god of the West Wind and bringer of light spring and early summer breezes. He is often depicted carrying a basket of unripe fruit. NOTOS, the god of the South Wind, was responsible for the desiccating hot wind of midsummer, the bringer of the storms of late summer, and was feared as a destroyer of crops. EURUS, the god of the East Wind, was associated with the season of autumn and was thought to bring warmth and rain. His symbol was an inverted vase, spilling water.

Scattered To The Four Winds : If a group of things or people are scattered to the four winds, they go or are sent to different places that are far away from each other. This phrase first appears in literature around 520 BC in the book of Zechariah in the Hebrew Old Testament. It references Jehovah God's intention to scatter the tribes of Israel to the "four winds" and appears nine times in the biblical Old Testament.

Some Biblical theologians believe that this verse is a reference to the conquering of Alexander the great from the four corners of the world in the 330's BC, and that the ultimate result of this scattering was a world where virtually every family of people on earth consider themselves to be the recipients of God's favor. They usually designate themselves by a title to indicate this, especially to themselves. The Germans call themselves Herrenvolk. The Japanese call themselves "sons of heaven." China calls itself "the good earth," and Americans, "God's country."

***

THE CHALLENGE

CRs - Choose one option from each task (5 tasks total)
RRs - Choose two options from each task (10 tasks total)
PRs - Choose three options from each task (15 tasks total)

POINTS
Challenge Completion Points = 20
Participation Points - if not completed
CR = tasks x 3
RR = tasks x 1.5
PR = tasks x 1
THE TASKS

Task 1 = Scattered
Option 1 - Rainbow (scatters light)
~ Read a book with a rainbow on the cover or a book with a rainbow colored cover (all six rainbow colors obviously visible)
Option 2 - Scatterbrained
~ Read a book with a confusing, twisty plot or a book with mental health as a main page genre.
Option 3 - Shattered and Scattered
~ Read a book with something on the cover that would scatter if broken. Examples (glass, beads on a necklace, a flock of birds, etc.)
or
~ Read a book with something on the cover or in the plot that can be symbolically shattered or shattering. Examples (a heart, a career, a family, a death etc…)
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (Sarene arrives to marry her prince and learns that he has died) 
Option 4 - Scattergories
~ Read a book that has an image that fits the topic and a word in the title that begins with one of the letter selections.
Topic : Wind, Breeze, or Flight
Letter: A, I, R
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Wings on cover - Raven in title)


Task 2 = Four
Option 1 - Read a book with a 4 in the page count.
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder (400 pages)
Option 2 - Read a book with a 4 in the publication year.
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (first published September 19th 2014)
Option 3 - Read a book published in April (the 4th month of the year)
Option 4 - Read a book that is #4 in a series.


Task 3 ~ The Winds
Option 1 : BOREAS
~ Read a book with a purple cover or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "B."
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Option 2 : NOTOS
~ Read a book with a thunderstorm on the cover or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "N."
Born in Shame by Nora RobertsOption 3 : EURUS
~ Read a book with a autumn leaf colored cover (brown, red, gold, yellow, orange) or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "E." 
A Hidden fire by Elisabeth Hunter
Option 4 : ZEPHYRUS,
~ Read a book with a fruit or vegetable on the cover or a book by an author whose FIRST OR LAST initial is "Z."


Task 4 = The Compass Directions
Option 1 : North
~ Read a book with the word "North" in the title or one that takes place north of the equator.
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (set in USA)
Option 2 : South
~ Read a book with the word "South" in the title, Southern Literature as main page genre, or one that takes place south of the equator.
Option 3 : East
~ Read a book with the word "East" in the title or one that takes place in the eastern hemisphere (Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania).
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (set in Japan, Asia)
Option 4 : West
~ Read a book with the word "West" in the title, western as a main page genre, or one that takes place in the western hemisphere (North, South, or Central America).


Task 5 ~ The Israelites : Flee from the land of the north,” saith the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,” saith the Lord. ~ Zechariah 2:6
Option 1 - Read a book with Religion, Spirituality, Theology or Faith as a main page genre.
Option 2 - Read a book with the word God or Goddess in the title or subtitle.
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad 
Option 3 - Read a book with a Jewish or Hebrew main character. 
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Simon is Jewish)
Option 4 - Read a book with Literature-Jewish or Cultural-Israel as a main page genre.  

A Million More Pages - Reading Under The Stars

Reading Under The Stars hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

I am not sure of this challenge but I am hoping to read at least 6 books.

Reading Under the Stars”–themed list, which showcases books about space, stars and astronomy, as well as spooky stories to read by a campfire.

Tier 1 Read 1 - 5 Books Reading Star
Tier 1 Read 6 - 10 Books Super Star
Tier 1 Read more than 10 books Out of this World

Standard AMMP Rules Apply:
✪ Minimum Page Length: 125 (140 for YA)
✪ Are Rereads Allowed? Yes
☛ Restrictions?
✪ Can I start a book before Challenge Start Date? Yes
✪ Children Allowed with restrictions: Yes
☛ Restrictions: must also have YA as Main Page Genre
✪ Posting Requirements when complete:
☛Book title/cover, author, date read
✪ Are Audiobooks Allowed? Yes
✪ Manga,Comics, Graphic Novels Allowed? No
✪ Can I Ignore A/An/The in Titles? Yes
✪ Author Names Count in Matching Letters? n/a
✪ Can a book be used more than once in this challenge?: No
☛ If yes, any stipulations?
✪ Can the Tasks be done in any order: Yes
✪ Can Series titles be used for meeting requirements? No
✪ Verification Required For Badge: No

I Wonder - Read a book about an alien race or featuring a UFO
Bound by C.K. Bryant (Alien Race)
Fingerprints - Read a book that features an investigator
Mercury - Read a book featuring a doctor as the main character
Sun - Read a book with a sun on the cover
Scientist - Read a book by Isaac Asimov
Technology - Read a book where the main character uses a computer
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
Starbucks - Read a book featuring a coffee shop
Spider - Read a book with the number eight in the title
NASA - Read a book that takes place in Texas or Florida
Mars - Read a book with a red cover (at least 50%)
Venus - Read a book with a volcano in it
Green Light - Read a book with a green cover (at least 50%)
Waves - Read a book that takes place near/on a beach or features a character swimming
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews 
Dream a Little Dream - Read a book with the moon on the cover
Galaxy - Read a book with Galaxy in the title
Wormhole - Read a book with a black cover (at least 50%)
Aero - Read a book with people on a plane
Libra - The Scales. Read a book featuring a professor
Star Wars - Read a book featuring a battle
ATMOSPHERE - Read a book with clouds on the cover
Pajamas - Read a book with a character in their pajamas on the cover
Earth - Read a book with a body of water in it
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (most of the book takes place on the water)
The Great Escape - Read a book where the character has to make an escape from something/someone
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder
Language - Read a book where the character is learning a language or speaks something other than English
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Andromeda - Read a book featuring a princess
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Blood Red - Read a book about a serial killer
Night Lights - Read a book with a lamp on the cover
Robots - Read a book in the Sci Fi Genre
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad
Destruction - Read a book featuring a fire
Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel
Telescope - Read a book with a blue cover (at least 50%)
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
Armageddon - Read a book that was turned into a movie
Geology - Read a book featuring a jewelry store, rocks, gemstones
Saturn - Read a book featuring a wedding (rings)
Need for Speed - Read a book where the main character drives a car
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Scorpio - Looks like the letter "C". Read a book that starts with "C"
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Blackout - Read a book where the lights go out
Jupiter - Jupiter is the largest planet. Read a book with more than 300 pages
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (399 pages)
Gravity - Read a book where the character makes a big decision in their life
Hercules - The Keystone. Read a book with a key on the cover
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
Uranus - Read a book that takes place in a cold climate
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle
Neptune - Read a book that features a wild weather event
The Wild by Christopher Golden (got a few blizzards)
Universe - Read a book with the word Universe in the title
Moon Walk - Read a book featuring an astronaut
Painting Moon Rocks - Read a book with a painter
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Alliance - Read a book about best friends
Politics - Read a book where the main character is running for political office
Leo - The Lion. Read a book with a character named Leo
Orion - Visible in December. Read a book with December in the title
Time Travel - Read a book published between 1969 and 1972
Pictures - Read a book featuring a photographer
Constellation - Read a book with a yellow cover (at least 50%)
Moons - Read a book that takes place on a different planet than Earth
Gas Giants - Read a book that features a cookout/barbeque
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill
Pluto - Read a book featuring a child as the main character 

Rawk: Pack Your Picnic Basket

Pack Your Picnic Basket hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.

I will do this challenge at RR level and read 6 books.

Pack Your Picnic Basket
August 1 - 31, 2015

Brought to you by the YIN Group (developed by Courtney).

☯ You have one month to complete your level for 9 points.
CR Level = 3 ingredients
RR Level = 6 ingredients
PR Level = 9 ingredients

☯ If your basket is too small and you run out of space for all basket items before you finish the challenge, you may score your points as follows
CR = # of tasks x 3
RR = # of tasks x 1.5
PR = # of tasks x 1

☯ BONUS +1 point if any of your covers include an actual picnic basket or the characters in your book have a picnic (include cover or Specify the book, page number, and quote the sentence in which it appears)
Select one task from each Picnic Basket Ingredient.

Chips/Veggies and Dip
• Read a book that is first in a series.
• Read a book that has a Goodreads rating of 4.00 or higher.
• Read a book that has less than 250 pages.
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (190 pages)

Deviled Delights (egg, crab, ham)
• Read a book with “Paranormal” listed as a main page genre.
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
• Read a book with a white cover - at least 50%.
• Read a book that features a demon of some kind - either literal or figurative.

Fried Chicken
• Read a book with “Southern” listed as a main page genre.
• Read a book with an animal on the cover.
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
• Read a book that reminds you of home, wherever that may be.

Bread, Cheese, Cold Cuts
• Read a book with “Young Adult” listed as a main page genre.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
• Read a book that features a sit-down meal of some kind.
• Read a book with fingers visible on the cover.

Potato Salad
• Read a book with “Classics” listed as a main page genre.
• Read a book that takes place in Idaho or Washington.
• Read a book where a main character is struggling to balance two roles.
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (Wax is struggling between mistborn lawkeeper or noble)

Pasta Salad
• Read a book with “Contemporary” listed as a main page genre.
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
• Read a book that takes place in Italy.
• Read a book with a winter scene on the cover.

Watermelon
• Read a book that takes place in Florida, Georgia, California, or Texas.
• Read a book with a red or green cover – at least 50%.
• Read a book with a body of water on the cover.

Fruit Salad
• Read a book with at least three primary colors on the cover – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
• Read a book with fruit on the cover.
• Read a book that features a child.

Lemonade
• Read a book with “Chick Lit” listed as a main page genre.
• Read a book with a yellow or pink cover – at least 50%.
• Read a book that could be described as a “sweet read” – baking-theme, sweet romance, etc. 

A Million More Pages - Campfire Cookout

Campfire Cookout hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

Even though Hogwarts have ended I am still taking part in challenges in the group A Million More Pages on Goodreads. I hope to read 9 books for this challenge.

Campfire Cook-out
August 1 to September 30, 2015
7-9 books

For this challenge, you will be building a campfire and then you will put together the ingredients to make a few popular campfire snacks. Your campfire cookout will be considered complete when you finish 7-to-9 tasks, which will earn a badge. *Please let me know before you claim your badge. (I'm not verifying, I just want to see finished challenges because they make me happy).

Fire (2-3 books total)
First, you need to build your fire. To do so, choose two-to-three of the following tasks.
1. Read a book with a mostly red or mostly orange cover
Fire Country by David Estes
2. Read a book with "Fire" in the title or series name
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
3. Read a book with fire/flames on the cover
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
4. Read a book about a firefighter from one of the following Listopias; name the list and the placement number of your book:
✹Firemen Are Hot
✹Firefighter Books
✹Best Gay Firemen Paramedics EMTs
✹Firefighters
✹Firefighter Romance Heroes
Note: Whatever list and book, your character *must* be a firefighter, not an EMT/cop/paramedic!

Hot Dogs (2-3 books total)
Roast some wienies by choosing two-to-three of the following tasks.
1. Read a book that is food-related fiction
The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree
2. Read a book that you think has a HOT cover
3. Read a book that has a three letter word AND a four letter word in the title
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
4. Read a book with a 7 in the number of pages or in the publication date
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (first published January 1st 2007)
5. Read a book with a dog on the cover

S'mores (3 books total)
Put together your ingredients for S'mores. Choose one task per ingredient:

1. Graham Crackers (choose one)
✶Read a book that starts with a "G" or a "C"
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
✶Read a book with a two-word title
✶Read a book with a character or author with the name of Graham (first or last name is fine)
✶Read two books that are more than 70 pages but less than 140 pages, each. Note: For THIS task ONLY, you may ignore the AMMP rules for page count, but it still must be adult or YA; novellas and plays are allowed if they fit page requirements!

2. Marshmallow (choose one)
✶Read a book with a mostly white cover
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
✶Read something "fluffy", as represented by one of the following genres on a book's main page:
a. Chick-Lit
OR
b. Humor
✶Read a book where the main character's name starts with an M

3. Chocolate (choose one)
✶Read a book you consider to be "sweet" (please explain how the book fits)
✶Read a book with a mostly brown cover
✶Read a book with chocolate on the cover
✶Read a book with a one-word title
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Standard Rules:
✪ Minimum Page Length: 125 (140 for YA)
✪ Are Rereads Allowed? Yes
✪ Can I start a book before Challenge Start Date? Yes, but it must be finished ON or AFTER August 1,2015
✪ Children Allowed with restrictions: Yes
☛ Restrictions: must also have YA as Main Page Genre
✪ Posting Requirements when complete:
☛Book title/cover, author, date read
✪ Are Audiobooks Allowed? Yes
✪ Manga,Comics, Graphic Novels Allowed? No
✪ Can I Ignore A/An/The in Titles? Yes
✪ Can a book be used more than once in this challenge? No
✪ Can the Tasks be done in any order: Yes

List of books: